Starships and Sleeping Lions
by Kirkysaurus
Summary: Brothers Leon and Sora move from the town of Hollow Bastion to live with their Grandmother on the Destiny Islands, ready to start their new lives. Some strange dreams the two have are starting to make them think that their parents' murder wasn't just some random happening... AU. -Discontinued-
1. Beginnings

**A/N: … Yeah, I'm changing AGAIN. I've come to realize that no one likes LuxRoku. Or at least the way I write it. Or actually maybe it's just me no one likes.**

**Well you can all go f*** yourselves. That was censored for Hawk's benefit.**

**ANYWHO, I'm gonna try something different. Again. If you don't like how I write this, this pairing specifically, or the theme of the story, get out now.**

**Chapter Theme -**Beginnings (Number I)

**Pairing -**Leon/Sora

**Rating -**T

**Summary -**Some of the best things come in small packages.

* * *

"Where's mom going?" a short, 11-year-old brunette boy was looking up at his frantic father, trying to get a word of conversation in with him to no avail. He was practically tearing apart his and his wife's room, looking for more things to go in the open bag that was sitting on the large bed. The young boy looked over towards his mother, who held a hand over her swollen stomach while she rested on the chair a few feet away, a lot more calm then his Dad was right now.

"I'm going to the hospital sweetie. It's time for your little brother or sister to come," She spoke in a soft voice with a light smile, which made the small boy grow a much larger one. He was now excited.

And that's what made him yell and start running around the room, grabbing whatever he thought his Dad was looking for before tossing it at him. This went on for a few more minutes, before his Dad gathered up the now full bag and ran downstairs, and out of the house, into his car. The little boy went over to his mother and helped her to her feet before they made their way downstairs, finding his uncle and cousins waiting in the living room.

"Your husband just left without you," His uncle, Cid, let out a small laugh before they heard the loud screech of tires, and the other man came running back inside for his wife.

"Squall you be good for your uncle Cid, alright?" Rinoa chided softly to which the youth nodded his head vigorously, before she left to go to the Hospital. He then turned to look up at his uncle and cousins for a few moments before the three young boys ran off to his room to play video games.

* * *

"Uncle Cid, how much longer until we get to go see mom and dad?" Squall looked away from the television at his uncle who was currently chewing on the end of what looked like a twig. The older man looked up at the clock that was hanging on the wall before turning to his nephew. "Whenever your pops calls and says the baby's here."

Squall nodded in understanding before going back to his cartoon, looking over at his sleeping cousins briefly before he yawned and leaned himself more into the couch, starting to drift off. He wasn't sure what time he fell asleep, but he was woken up by a rumbling sound and slight movements, seeing that he was in his uncle's car, with his cousins in the back seat, both still asleep as well.

"How long was I out?" He mumbled sleepily at which his uncle chuckled, before looking down at him. "Just an hour. We're headed to the Hospital."

"YAY!"

And now all three young children were up and bouncing in their seats excitedly.

* * *

"Patient's name?" The dark-haired nurse behind the desk in the 'lobby' area of the Hospital was scribbling down a few things in a book, while checking things on her computer screen.

"Rinoa Leonhart, think she was in E-105."

She nodded before scrawling down the room number on a Visitor's Pass, handing it to the blond man before doing the same with three more for the younger boys. Cid thanked her silently before he ushered the three boys through the double doors behind the desk, heading off to Rinoa's room. A few hallways and turns later and they were at an area that had five doors on one side, all different colors. Next to the purple door was a sign reading 'E-105', which all four men entered, immediately seeing Rinoa sitting on the hospital bed a little ways in, holding a bundle of blankets they assumed was the baby.

"You've got a baby brother, Squall. And you, Cloud and Ven, have a little cousin," She cooed, making the three boys appear at her sides immediately, looking at the small brown-haired, blue eyed baby in her arms.

"He's so cute," Ven remarked happily, gently holding his finger out to which the baby immediately grabbed, making gurgling sounds as he tugged on it. Cloud reached over and softly rubbed the top of messy brown hair that was the baby's head, which made it giggle lightly. Squall decided to go on the other side of his mother to get a better look at the little child.

"Do any of you want to hold him?" She looked between the three boys and Squall immediately raised his hand, bouncing up and down in place slightly. "I do mom."

She chuckled softly before Cid sat him down in the chair closest to the bed, before he lifted the small baby into the boy's arms. Squall's face took on a serious expression as he held the baby close to him in a protective stance, keeping his head elevated slightly before he looked down at him.

"What's his name, mommy?" He looked back up to his mother who had a soft smile on her face, before she reached over and ruffled his brown hair.

"Sora."

* * *

_**Chapter Word count: 846**_

**A/N: Oki so, I think out of all three entries I did, this had the longest beginning chapter. Cool. Anyway, yeah, you should understand the theme now, well, you will if you have a perverted mind. At least somewhat perverted anyway. You should get it.**

**So... yeah. I hope you turds like this story.**

**Read, REVIEW, Favorite, Flame, WHATEVER! Just give me feedback so I know you like it, or hate it even! It's not that hard! There's a button for that! Go ahead and tell me it sucks or it's dirty or something!**

**You might get cookies. Or another type of treat. Yeah that's right, I'm bribing you.**


	2. Obnoxious

**A/N: I got stuck on the second theme (Sorrow), cause I wanted to do them in the order they were written, but that's not gonna happen now so... yeah. Here's chapter two.**

**Chapter Theme -**Obnoxious (Number XIII)

**Summary -**That one time when you have someone bothering you non-stop, and you just wanna strangle them sometimes. Or beat them with a brick. Whichever is easiest for you, ya know?

Hopefully I can finish this today (5/15), if not... Meh. By the way, there's gonna be some age-skippage here and there to adhere to some themes. In this chapter Squall/Leon is 15 and Sora is four.

* * *

"Play with me."

"No."

"Play with me."

"Sora, move from in front of the TV. I'm trying to play a game," Squall gritted between his teeth as he glared at his four-year-old brother, trying to see through his short form. Sora just stared up at him with big, dopey blue eyes, holding out his stuffed Winnie the Pooh in one hand and a toy airplane in the other.

"Play."

"Sora you're pi-"

"DON'T YOU DARE SAY IT," Their mother popped her head out of the kitchen, flour on her cheek and some type of green substance in her black hair. "I don't need my baby cursing like my other baby does all the time."

"Yes mom," He gritted between his teeth before letting out a loud groan of anguish as his character in the video game he was playing got killed by one of those annoying biting plants. He glared daggers at the game over screen before restarting his game, following the pathway behind the fence to get back to where the two flower bitey-things were. Sora chose that moment to climb himself up onto the couch next to his brother and started hitting the elder brunette in the head with his Pooh.

"Stop," Squall spoke in a demanding tone, pausing the game quickly to glare over at Sora, who smacked him in the face because of his sudden movement. Sora started giggling uncontrollably as the anger evident on Squall's face, and the mess that was his hair before he quickly slid off of the couch and waddled to the kitchen. Instead of getting up to chase him, Squall went back to his game, peacefully sliding the flower monsters' heads in half, before trekking off further on the grass path.

And that would be when Sora jumped on top of him from seemingly nowhere, popping a bag of flour over his head.

"... I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"

Sora then screamed and jumped off of Squall, knocking him over the head with a frying pan that he had no idea how the child got, before he jumped up after him and started chasing his waddling form around the house.

"Remind me why I convinced you to have another kid," Rinoa looked over towards her husband who simply shrugged his shoulders and slunk out from the house.

* * *

"Play."

It was currently after 10 at night. Sora was bouncing up and down on top of Squall, who was trying to go to sleep.

"Stop being a pain in the-"

"Don't finish that sentence~" Squall heard his mother's voice from outside his room, which prompted him to shove his pillow over his head. Which was soon replaced by Sora's Pooh. Which oddly enough smelled like poo.

"Pooh went poopoo in the toilet earlier."

Well, that explained the smell.

"... I'm throwing this away," And he did just that, after pushing Sora off from his chest and making his way over to the window, pulling it open and tossing the smelly bear into the streets below. Where a large car ran over it. Followed by another. And then a truck, before a dog ran out and grabbed it, tearing it to shreds before retreating to the yard across the street.

"That was obnoxirous of you, Squall." Sora whimpered, before starting to cry loudly as he ran out of his big brother's room.

"... Kill me."

* * *

_**Chapter Word count: 559**_

**A/N: … I have to go write hardcore smut for Alyssa and Tatsuya now. Joy.**

**This ended like that because I suck at ideas. OH, WHOEVER CAN GUESS WHAT GAME SQUALL/LEON WAS PLAYING, gets a cookie. A big cookie. A really BIG cookie. As always my lovelies, Read, Review, Constructively Criticize, just let me know you're reading.**

**PS to **_**crepuscule2012**_**, on the Wiki for KH Cid is 42 or something, and he had spiky-ish blonde hair. Cloud and Ven and Roxas all do, too. I made them cousins to Squall and Sora. That's your family tree for you. I think I might make Aerith his wife, and find a brown-haired guy to be Sora and Squall's daddy.**

**Or make up some dude. Meh.**


	3. Sorrow

**A/N:**

**Chapter Theme -** Sorrow (Number II)

**Summary -** Thinking of you wherever you are, it hurts me that I'll never see your smiling faces ever again.

* * *

Sora was lucky.

He's only six years old, and doesn't have to go through any of this like we are. He gets to stay oblivious and happy while Aerith tries to hide her tears and Cid doesn't speak to anyone. The car shifts over a rock or something and she shoots her head around to make sure Sora's still sleeping. He is, because that kid could sleep through anything, probably even a hurricane destroying the house.

She looks at me and our eyes meet. Hers are filled with worry and mine are filled with hatred.

She sighs softly and returns to the road, continuing her way to the airport. You might be wondering why she'd be taking her two nephews to the airport in this rain. Well, let me go back a little bit for you;

Mom and Dad are dead. We're going to Destiny Islands to stay with Grandma.

I let out an inaudible sigh before shifting closer to the window, resting my elbow against the doorframe and my jaw in my hand. I was pretty sure we were almost there, and soon we'd begin a new life on the Islands with grandma. Cid would have kept us here in Hollow Bastion with him, but it was a pretty small town, with fairly small houses, and not enough room for him to raise five boys. Doesn't matter, I wouldn't want to live here anymore, anyway.

Oh right, I forgot; I watched them die.

* * *

_His mother had left him a note for when he got home from school saying she'd be working later today and needed him to pick Sora up from Daycare for five-thirty. He reluctantly went, grabbing the keys to the van she left for him on the counter before making his way to the daycare program to bring his little brother home to annoy him until his parents returned._

_'Today must be my lucky day,' Squall thought when one of the daycare workers, a girl around his age with short, blue hair, brought a sleeping Sora out to him, leaving him to hook the six-year-old into his seat as she went back inside to grab his things._

_"Damn, he's never asleep when I come to get him," Squall spoke with a laugh, making the young girl giggle as she handed over Sora's backpack and teddy bear. "I've never seen him fall asleep over here, either. He must have had a long day," she smiled before gently ruffling Sora's messy brown locks and saying her goodbyes to Squall before he climbed into the driver's seat and made his way back home. It was already after six by the time he turned onto their street, and upon seeing the house he hit his foot on the brake pedal roughly._

_His parents were home, and the front door was wide open. But that's not what made him stop - there was a beat-up car sitting on the road in front of the house, and it was still running._

_Squall flung the front door of the car open and sprinted up to the house, slowing down when he made it to the side of the hose. He quickly slipped inside and slowly made his way over to the kitchen where the lights were still on, and that's where he found his mother._

_Trying to choke a masked man who was stabbing her in the side._

_"Mom!" She turned just as the teenager jumped over and kicked the hidden man square in the jaw, effectively knocking him to the floor before he helped his mother stand up and brace against the counters. He looked around the area and saw his dad lying in a pool of his own blood, already dead. His train of thought broke when his mother screamed, he turned around to meet the man running at them with his knife extended._

_Everything seemed to slow down at that moment; Squall pulling his mother out of range, the knife slicing over his face, his foot knocking the man down - the only sound he could hear was his heart pounding in his ears. Everything became hazy, and the next thing he knew, the attacker was lying on the ground, dead, with his mother braced against the wall, continuing to die._

_There was a smoking gun in his hands, aimed where the man was standing before he hit the ground._

* * *

I barely remember anything. It was all a giant blur... The police arriving seconds later, an assortment of paramedics and policemen rushing into the house, and then... nothing. One minute I'm in the house, the next I'm in the hospital with Aerith and Cid telling me that mom didn't make it.

She was dead.

And that's why Aerith was watching me lead Sora through the processions of the airport and outside where it waited for us, until she couldn't see us anymore. The flight attendants helped Sora strap in while I loaded our hand luggage above us before taking my own seat. He was hugging his bear while we waited, and when the plane began taking off, he fell back to sleep.

You're all I have left of them.

* * *

_**Chapter Word count: 861**_

**A/N: I'm gonna keep everything chronological, most likely using flashbacks to help with the theme. So, yeah.**


	4. Traffic

**A/N: Question, which way of writing do you guys like to read more (assuming other people besides Hawk is reading this); how the first two chapters were, or the third and this one? Your input would be used in helping better this story to your liking, or stopping it entirely if you would rather that.**

**Chapter Theme -** Traffic (Number VII)

**Summary -** For the times where you have places to be.

Follow-up to the departure to Destiny Islands.

* * *

I think it was almost three o'clock when we landed on DI. Cid's oldest son, Ven, was waiting for us in the lobby, and after he helped me grab the rest of mine and Sora's luggage we made our way outside. Sora was excitedly striking up conversation with our older cousin while we packed everything into the trunk of his van with Ven laughing at everything he said. Ven and I didn't say more than two words, and I was glad he and I had a silent understanding. Maybe that's why he's my favorite...

"How's grandma?" Sora asked him, pushing my hands away so that he could fix his seatbelt himself. Ven chuckled at his little, over-excited six-year-old self before responding. "She's okay, buddy. She can't wait to see you and Leon."

"Who's Leon?"

"I go by Leon now, Sora," I answered for Ven, climbing into the passenger's seat before pulling the door shut, making my presence in this conversation finished. I could see from the rear-view mirrors that Sora had a confused look on his face, but Ven ruffled his messy hair before climbing into the driver's seat and starting up his 'baby' as he called it, before driving out of the airport's parking lot and onto the road.

Into some of the SLOWEST traffic I've ever seen.

* * *

Current time; three-fifteen.

We just left the area that is the entirety of the airport, and are officially on the road. Woo-hoo. Sora's entertained, I can tell that much; only a six-year-old stuck in traffic would end up finding the threads that make up his teddy bear interesting. Oh look, we moved another few feet. Joy...

"This is taking forever," Sora stated the obvious, letting out a loud yawn before curling up into his seat. Ven and I nodded simultaneously at his statement, continuing to watch the road. Speed picked up after a couple more minutes, just enough for us to make it to the highway. It slowed down after that, again, and I almost jumped out of the window. What, was it 'Internation Island Traffic Day' or something?

"How're you holding up?" I looked over at Ven, his eyes were still on the road. I let out a low sigh, shifting myself more comfortably into the seat to lean against the door before answering. "As best as I'll ever be, I guess."

He made a sound of understanding before we fell back into another silence. The cars started thinning out as we made our way into the town of the main-island - it seemed most of the traffic was heading here, or these people were just slow-ass drivers.

"Are we there yet?" Sora asked excitedly, beginning to bounce around in his seat after we passed the Bookstore. That was his reminder on where Grandma lived.

"Yup," Ven responded with a wide smile, heading further through the residential district before pulling into the driveway of an all-too familiar house. sora let out a squealing-giggle sound before beginning to yank off his seatbelt and push the backdoor open, running up the driveway and into our grandmother's arms on the porch. Ven and I made our way to the trunk to get mine and Sora's bags before meeting them there, each of us giving her a one-armed hug before being guided inside.

"So how was your trip?" She smiled down at Sora, leading him to his new room as he excitedly told her everything. She glanced over her shoulder at me, shooting a soft smile before continuing upstairs, leaving Ven and I in the living room.

This was our new home.

* * *

**_Chapter Word count: 599_**

**A/N: I got stuck after a while, but I finished it. I think I'm just gonna keep these short, seeing as the least words they have to have is 300, I think. Well the ones I have fewer ideas for will be short, at least. Not sure about ones that give me many.**

**Anyway; read, review, all that jazz. If anyone besides Hawk is reading this, that is.**


	5. Interview

**A/N: I'm still awake! And not tired anymore! And I dislike this story's progression!.. Meh... Oh well, hardly anyone's reading this anyway, they won't mind if I make it into a train-wreck!**

**Chapter Theme -** Interview (Number XXI)

**Summary -** When someone asks you a lot of questions, some you might not want to answer.

* * *

"Leon," The teenager glanced away from his laptop to see Sora sitting on the floor watching Spongebob. The small brunette turned his head and looked back up to his big brother when commercials came back around, and called for him once more. "Leon, I have questions for you."

"Go ahead," he replied indifferently, shifting his position to face his little brother. Sora looked back up to him and put his hand on his chin in his 'thinking pose' for a few minutes. Leon just sat there and waited.

"Can you still feel them?"

"Of course," he didn't have to elaborate; he knew exactly who they were.

"I feel them. And I had dreams once where me and Ven were on this big, white circle talking to floaty voices," Sora stated softly, turning his attention back to the TV screen when Spongebob began to play again. He lost interest and turned to face his brother completely; intent on finishing their conversation.

"Do you dream like that?"

"I've dreamt I was fighting with this weird weapon, in this large, empty battlefield..." Leon responded, looking straight into Sora's bright, blue eyes. "There were a bunch of rusted weapons sticking here and there throughout the ground. And a bald bad guy with no face - just a large 'X' where it should be."

"Sounds creepy," Sora giggled, climbing up onto the couch to sit next to Leon. The two stared at each other for a few more moments of silence before Sora spoke up again. "There's another one where I'm alone on this blue circle with all these different pictures on it. And it has a background-thing in the middle that looks like the island."

"Sounds really cool, kiddo."

"I know the voice talking is mommy's," Sora spoke softly, looking down at his folded hands that sat in his lap. Leon raised a hand to softly pat the smaller brunette's head, smiling down at him softly.

"She drops this big Key from the sky for me in some of them," Sora whispered, looking up at Leon slowly. "But don't tell anyone I told you. Mommy said I need to keep the Keys a big secret."

"Wouldn't dream of it, Sora."

"Maybe someday she'll give you a Key in your dreams. Or maybe Dad will," Sora sat back and began contemplating the thought, holding his hand to his face in his thinking pose again. Leon continued smiling at him, still ruffling his hair before Spongebob ended and both boys getting pulled into the next show - Rugrats.

* * *

_**Chapter Word count: 422**_

**A/N: I'ma stop now, 'cause Dad needs the laptop, and I suck at writing. So, yeah. Boring stuff happens. If I do end up staying up all-night again, I'll probably work on more chapters tomorrow, then go work on Mermaid Tails then some more XigDem oneshots.**

**You should go read those, by the way. And review. It'll make me feel all giggly and happy inside. And reviewing this, too. Please? I'll write you some Hetero-sexual KH smut wiht Kairi cross-dressing!**

**… Ehehehe, I need more sugar. Night, luvvies!**


	6. Where?

**A/N: … Is it bad I can't remember anything I wrote yesterday for anything before I went to bed? … I want a cookie now... One of those big ones mom had in her room last night that I was gonna ask her for but she went to bed early. I wonder if my sisters left any for me... Oooh, I just got a twisted idea for the story progression...**

**Sweet! A definite idea! Woo-hoo!**

**Chapter Theme -** Where? (Number XX)

**Summary -** When you don't know where you are, you normally ask someone.

* * *

_'Where were we. Mama's away sleeping sweet, until X is all rosy count on me.'_

I already knew this was a dream, since It wasn't on the island. It was a big, spiral staircase that was kind of just floating there. I was kind of running up it right now.

I had mom's big Key with me. When the dream started I was sleeping on that big, blue circle that I told Leon about. She left it a few feet away from me. I don't know why she didn't wait for me to wake up, but my guess is 'cause of all these little bug-looking things. They wanted to hurt me, but the Key made them go away.

_'No one to save Leon from evil.'_

That couldn't possibly be true. Leon had me, and grandma, and Ven, and Aunt Aerith and Uncle Cid and everyone. I think these little bugs just wanted to make me mad. Well, with one good swing of mom's Key they disappeared in a puff of smokes.

_'Where are we...'_

"Come on," I reached over and took her hand and started running up the stairs really fast. I don't know how, but I kind of felt something bad was at the bottom, and starting to make its way up, like it wanted us. Or mom's Key. Oh yeah, this girl; she's about my age, I think. She has big, blue eyes and she's wearing a pink dress. That's all I can see of her, the rest of her face won't show in this dark place. But I know she's safe, even if I don't know where we are or how we got here.

The shadows are scared of her.

"I think we made it," I looked over to her and she nodded her head. We weren't on the stairs anymore, we were... well, I don't know where. It still wasn't the island. It was... kind of like a floating sidewalk, yeah. It was see-through, too. But I knew we wouldn't fall. I could feel it. It was like, solid light, and I knew the bugs wouldn't come up here.

"There you are..."

I guess the thing at the bottom wasn't a bug...

"Run!" I shouted to the blue-eyed girl and she quickly nodded her head before we ran as fast as we could. I didn't dare look over my shoulder to see how close behind us the bad guy was, if he was even chasing us. I just knew I had to get us out of here, and somewhere that we both knew. I had to get us to the Islands.

* * *

"Sora? You awake?"

The six-year old blinked open his eyes softly, before letting out a long yawn and sitting up in his bed. He started rubbing the rest of the sleep from his eyes before looking over at the source of the voice - Leon.

"Big brother why did you wake me up?" He yawned out, turning to climb out of his bed and waddle his way out of the room. Leon chuckled softly before getting off the edge of Sora's bed to follow him, standing outside of the closed bathroom door. "Cid's coming today with Aerith, remember?"

He waited a few seconds. Then he heard the toilet flush and the sink start up and what he believed was Sora making a 'hmm' sound. Then the door opened with Sora nodding his head in approval with his toothbrush sticking out of his mouth.

"Where are they now?" Sora looked up curiously at his big brother, who simply chuckled and ruffled the brunette's bedhead.

"Almost here, kiddo."

* * *

**_Chapter Word count: 606_**

**A/N: Yay, I got a cookie. Btu it tasted not like regular chocolate chip ones... I think they're a different brand. Anyway, um,**

**… I forgot what I was gonna say for this. Oh well. Okay so, yeah. I hope you guys like it and read, review, criticize, etc. And... Some other good stuff. I really should stay away from sweets... Even though chocolate is so good... Oh, right! The things in the dream-half that are italicized, you know, the thing about Mama and X, Leon and evil, etc., those are from Pretty Little Liars. I liked the poem-like feel they gave off, so I used them. But edited it. You know, Mama for Maya, X for Garrett, Leon for Alison, etc. So, yeah.**

**Anyway enjoy this chapter luvvies and lurkers! I'm gonna go drink some Soda.**


	7. Blood

**A/N: ...**

**Chapter Theme -** Blood (Number V)

**Summary -** ...

* * *

_Drip..._

Their blood... it... kept falling... I couldn't bring myself to look away, no matter how hard I tried...

I just... turned around and ran, as fast as I possibly could. But I knew I'd never get it out of my head... Long, deep cuts through their bodies, skin falling away to expose more of them, blood... dripping and oozing out... covering the floor... The pained look on their faces...

Mom's blood on my hands...

I still can't remember how, or where even, I got ahold of that gun. And even now, I wanted nothing to do with all of it... yet... I couldn't get rid of the gun. I couldn't think long on those factors, because my legs gave way after running for so long, and I toppled over the edge of... whatever I had been running on. I remember... I was in the house, with mom and dad... but now... I'm falling into the ocean; that blasted gun still in my hands...

* * *

…

_'Where...'_

I was lying flat on the ground, and you know, when most people dream of falling to the deepest depths of the ocean and falling asleep - or unconscious - they wake up on sand.

This was not sand.

It was cold, and hard. And smooth, like glass. But not as fragile, because I'm pretty sure glass would break underneath my weight. The gun was still with me, but it was a few feet away. And glowing.

… What the Hell?

A burst of light, and it was replaced with... a big... Key?

There was blood on the handle...

_'Squall...'_

That... was dad's voice...

_'Protect... the light... from... him...'_

I fumbled with getting off of the ground and running over to the Key. No sooner had I grabbed it did a staircase begin to take form in front of me, and I ran up that sucker as fast as my legs would carry me. I could hear it, coming from the platform; water was rising. But I knew if I looked behind me, I'd freeze. Because it wasn't water -

I knew it was blood.

"Come on."

… Sora?

"Run!"

Who was... Sora... I know that's him. Where...

The ground started to shake, and I heard what sounded like glass breaking. The staircase... was beginning to fall apart. And I was rooted to the spot. Unmoving...

The area of stairs around be broke off, and I was plummeting to my death again, except instead of falling into the safety of the freezing ocean, I was falling into warm blood. So much... blood... I couldn't breath... I couldn't feel... the blood just... took over my senses; I could taste it, and smell the coppery essence of it... and all I could hear was the rush of it...

And mom's screams...

* * *

Leon shot up with a jolt. Sweat was dripping down his face and from most of his body, and his breathing came in ragged intakes of breath.

_'Just a dream... just a terrible, horrible nightmare...'_ He thought to himself, slowly getting up to his feet and peeling off his shirt before sliding out of his room. He slowly trudged his way into the bathroom, stripping off the rest of his clothes before getting into the shower, turning on the head to let the cold water freeze his skin.

"Everything... is okay..." The teenager let out a soft sigh before scrubbing the sweat from his body, trying to rid his mind of all thoughts...

"I should go check on Sora," he murmured ot himself, turning off the showerhead and stepping out onto the bath mat. He quickly dried himself off and shuffled into his room to get dressed before heading over to Sora's room, where the six-year-old was sleeping. A small smile crept onto his face as he watched the gentle rise and fall of his brother's chest, the soft grabbing his right hand made and the little snores escaping from him.

_'At least one of us can sleep peacefully, kiddo...'_

* * *

**_Chapter Word count: 672_**

**A/N: ...**


	8. Watch

**A/N: I don't like this layout anymore. It's ugly now. I'm gonna change it after I get to the 10th chapter. 'Cause like, this layout sucks.**

**Meh.**

**Chapter Theme -** Watch (Number XVI)

**Summary -** Keep your eyes on me.

* * *

Cid and Aerith had brought over pretty much everything from the old house. Leon was wholeheartedly surprised that everything actually fit, too. He was currently up in his room with Cid, setting up his bed, dresser, and video games. Ven was in Sora's room setting his bed up while Aerith helped the six-year-old organize everything. It was starting to actually feel like a permanent home for Leon, now, and that was enough to have him smile every so often.

That is until Aerith gave him his father's watch.

"I don't really see the point in having this," He had tried to argue, holding the silver watch back out to the older woman in front of him. "There's a clock in almost every room, and I'm sure all the classrooms when I start at the University will have clocks, too."

"I know you don't want your memories, but your father wanted you to keep this," she spoke softly, closing Leon's fist around before pulling his hand down to his chest. "Trust me - you will need this someday."

"Whatever you say..." the brunette let out a low sigh before heading back up to his room, unceremoniously dropping the watch onto his comforter. It was left there for the next few hours which the teenager used to finish setting up his room, eat dinner, and play his Wii before he took a shower and went to bed.

-Meanwhile-

"I missed my old bed," Sora told his Aunt Aerith while Ven finished setting it up in the corner of his room. She giggled softly before ruffling the six-year-old's messy brown hair and going back to packing away his clothes into his dresser on the opposite wall. Sora was hanging up some of his clothes in the closet next to it. Every once in awhile he'd look over his head to watch the box sitting on his little table that Uncle Cid had left there. He wanted to know what was inside of it but the older man had told him that he couldn't have what was inside until he was older - something about being able to take better care. It must've been very important, the brunette immediately thought, but still, he couldn't shake the wanting to know what was inside. So for now he simply packed away his things while stealing glances every so often at the small box. He even went as far as to set up some of his toys to watch it when he left his room.

"Yay, my room is done!" He shouted excitedly once everything from the old house was set up perfectly; his dresser next to his closet, bed on the opposite wall with a desk next to it by the window, and his table, chairs, and toys taking up the rest of the floorspace. Aerith giggled softly at his enthusiasm before patting his head softly and ushering him downstairs to eat dinner, and about an hour later he was in the shower and then tucked into bed.

* * *

_'Son...'_

My eyes shot open at the sound of Dad calling. They immediately took in the surroundings - that big, empty area from the other night, the gun a few feet away from me on the floor.

Dad's watch... was sitting in the center of the platform.

I quickly got up and scurried my way over towards it, tentatively reaching a hand out to grab a hold of it. My thumb ran along the edge of it, where it found... a button? Pressing it, the top of the watch flipped open, the numbers and hands of it on the flipped open piece, while a stylized, ornate lion head was on the bottom. My breathing caught in my throat as I traced over it with my fingers, and my eyes widened when it began to emit a faint glow. From my peripheral I could see the gun glowing in a similar way, while the hands and numbers on the upper side of the watch began... peeling away...

They formed a circle, floating above the lion's head - the hands spinning around slowly as the numbers went around in different elliptical patterns. I could hear something winding up after a while, and the slow trill of piano keys beginning to play...

Dad's watch and the gun flew up into the air and clashed against one another, in their place another Key. Except this one was glowing like it was made entirely of a silver-grey colored light. And it just... continued to float there.

… And then it came crashing down into the white platform, where the watch took back it's shape before stretching up into a large clock tower.

"What in the..." my breathing caught again and I stopped, hearing the sound of metal clinking into something. I stood completely still and strained my ears, trying to pick up where the noises were coming from, and my eyebrows rose at the sound of a little girl's voice.

_"Sora, come on!"_

* * *

"Sora..."

"Hi."

I'm back in that dream world, again. And the girl from before is here, too. But something feels different. It's like... there aren't any bugs here, or the bad-guy. But the girl is holding mom's Key. And the monsters will come soon, because they all want it. But I think we're safe, because they're all scared of this girl and if she's holding mom's Key then they won't wanna get it.

"The Lion is here," she spoke softly, and I nodded before getting up to my feet. She gently grabbed my hand with the one that wasn't holding the Key and we began walking to the edge of the circle. Like before the clear stairs came and we quickly started going up them. Now, you might be confused on what she means by 'the Lion is here'. Well, there's apparently this Lion-guy that can protect us from the shadow bugs and the bad-guy. He's supposed to protect my light. I don't know what my light is, though. Maybe it's mom's Key. Or this girl.

"Oh no..." We both looked back and saw these bigger shadow monsters begin to climb up after us, so we started to run. She passed me mom's Key when we got to the top of the steps and I stood there ready for the monsters. As soon as one came up I hit it in the head, or what I think was its head. It didn't make them disappear like the bugs, though.

"They're tougher than the bugs!" She exclaimed before we moved backwards a little, because they jumped up from the stairs onto the sidewalk-thing. The first one I hit looked really mad, and tried to hit us with it's big claw hand, but I blocked it with mom's Key. We kept getting pushed back with every hit to the side of the key, and it was getting harder to clock these monsters' attacks.

"Sora, come on!" she shouted, grabbing the back of my shirt to pull me away before turning me around and dragging me forward. It looked like she was taking me to this big clock tower that was a little farther from us. It looked really cool.

"It has the Lion's head," she pointed to where the clock hands were, and there was a cool-looking Lion head carved out of the clock's face. The Lion-guy must be there. It's probably his home or something.

"Let's go!"

* * *

I stood at the base of the tower with my arms crossed over my chest, glaring forward at the pathway ahead of me. I know I heard a little girl calling my brother just now. And it sounded like they were coming from this way...

"Leon?"

"... Huh?" I looked up and saw Sora and some red-headed girl leaning over a ledge, looking down at me. His face broke out into a wide smile before he threw down a large Key into my hands and then jumped down with the little girl. "What are you doing here?"

"... What the Hell is going on?" I stared down at the two kids before shifting my gaze to the Key, then back to them, then over to the clock tower. "What are you two doing?"

"Running from shadow monsters," Sora explained with a shrug of his shoulders, as if trying to say that this kind of thing was normal. Well, for his dreams it might be... "Me and my friend have been trying to avoid them."

"And does this friend have a name?" I questioned, crossing my arms back over my chest to glare down at the two children. Sora opened his mouth to say something, but quickly shut it and turned his gaze to the redheaded girl. "Oh yeah, I don't think you ever told me your name."

"My name's-" Before she could finish the ground began to shake, and the glass platform began to crack. I took a defensive stance in front of Sora and the nameless girl, holding the strange Key up in a ready-to-attack yet ready-to-defend kind of pose, staring ahead as smoke began to rise out of the cracks in the floor.

"Watch out for each other, and get moving. I'll hold off... whatever's coming," I spoke down to the two of them and I saw they had nodded before running off to the other end of the platform. A staircase appeared when they reached it and they started to climb up as a figure hidden underneath a black cloak appeared, looking through me at Sora and the girl.

"Hey, keep your eyes on me, buddy. I'm the one you have to watch out for." I smirked when he took on a battle stance and seemed like he was glaring directly at me, before we ran at each other. He summoned two long, red blades from his gloved hands when we got closer and I readied the Key Sora gave me to attack.

"Good luck getting past me."

* * *

**_Chapter Word count: 1,659_**

**A/N: … Damn.**

**This is the longest chapter sofar. Cool.**

**… I've got nothing else to say. Ooh, I'll shamelessly advertise some of my fics!**

**Like XigDem? Love fluffy-ness? Go read my oneshots 'Rubber Duckies' and 'Silly Love Songs'! Like AkuSai? Like M-rated things? Go read my oneshot 'Like We Used To'! Like The Legend of Zelda? Read my new fic that is currently nameless and in the works of being made! Well, read it when it comes out, anyway.**

**So... bye for now. Until next time.**


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